I have a 98 for ranger 2wd 4cyl. I was on my way to Kansas a couple weeks ago and about half way there I noticed the temp gauge was reading at the C mark. Also the heater was not heating like normal. First thing that came to mind was the thermostat must be stuck open. So as soon as I got home I replaced the thermostat but it didn't fix anything. The engine is running under the c mark on the temp gauge. Also the engine is running rough and even at times I can hear the lifters knocking. I have tried covering half the radiator with cardboard with no change so I covered 100% of the radiator with cardboard to see what would happen and I was able to get the temp in the low end of normal range, but as soon as the t-stat opens the gauge drops to below c again. With the outside temps in the 20s I am getting little to no heat in the cab so I am looking for any ideas.

Maybe the clutch fan is locked up. causing it to cool to much. This is the case on my 4.0 after a flex fan conversion. However, I still have heat. I just say this because when my T-stat opens, the fan now cools so fast the T-stat closes, then heats up and cycle repeats.

So if the clutch is locked up it will cool much more rapidly, can it cool faster than the engine can warm up...? Maybe, it is a 4 cyl. And I'm sure they dont get as hot as a 4.0

Does it have the stock radiator? If it has the 4.0 radiator well that is twice as thick as the 4cyl rad. And if you were to add up locked fan, X2 on the colant capacity, that might just be enough to keep her cold!

__________________

1999 | Ext. Cab | 4.0 | 4x4 | 4.10's

Quote:

A Gladiator does not fear death. He embraces it. Caresses it. Fucks it. Each time he enters the arena, he slips his c0ck in the mouth of the beast, and prays to thrust home before the jaws snap shut. - Oenomaus

combination? temp sensor? clutch fan? heater control valve?.. once upon a time, lol, I had no heat, and temp gauge was acting nuts, dropping to C at low RPM, I pulled heater core hoses to flush heater core (with water hose) nothing came out that I seen, after that (and patching heater control valve vacuum line) everything is back to normal, IDK y? could it have been an air bubble in HC? doesnt make sense, I had perfect heat untill timing belt change (did myself) I removed rad', n while it was out I flushed it good, after re-install is when things went hay-wire... odd things happen sometimes, just try somethings, maybe you work the bug out... goodluck

Thanks for the input everyone. I was able to solve the problem today by replacing the t-stat yet again I did a coolant flush because it looked like someone had mixed green with orange at some point and It was a black color. The biggest problem I had was the coolant system had some air in it. I have been adding to the radiator all day while parked on a incline. I didn't think the system took so long to burp all the air out but after doing this the truck is back to normal.